1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vehicle cover and more particularly to a vehicle cover apparatus that is stored and secured to the front and rear bumper when the device is not in use and when utilized is pulled out in a canopy fashion to cover and protect the vehicle from heat, sun damage, and snow.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been recognized that there is a multiplicity of car covers that are used with various motor vehicles. These car covers offer protection for the vehicle when the car is not in use.
One such vehicle cover is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,362, issued to Hervey. Hervey discloses a foldable canopy frame car cover wherein the frame is centrally mounted on the side wall of the vehicle's body. The frame portions extends across the side wall of the vehicle. This arrangement and design provides for a vehicle cover that can only be used with certain cars. This car cover cannot be used with vehicles having no more than two doors nor can this vehicle cover be used with a car having a hatch back. The placement of this frame provides for it to extend across the back area of the side wall of the vehicle, thereby providing the frame to be in the way of the third and fourth door of a vehicle. Further when Hervey's frame is not in use and is collapsed, the frame elements are stacked on the rear bumper, thereby making it virtually impossible to have access to a hatch back. Hervey also includes side curtains to be attached to the vehicle cover. These side curtains not only increase the time it takes to cover the vehicle but also increases the cost of the cover. Hervey is also silent to the use of a housing for storing the collapse frame on the bumper of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,789,501 issued to Oliver discloses a collapsible housing structure which is used to house a vehicle. The structure disclosed by Oliver includes a pair of pads which receives the front wheel of a vehicle. The structure of Oliver is not attached to the vehicle and cannot fit inside the vehicle, thereby making it non-portable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,083 issued to Gamache and U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,321 issued to Moyet-Ortiz both disclose a vehicle cover wherein the front wheels are driven onto a pair of front pads and the back wheels are driven onto a pair of back pads. A canopy frame is then used to cover and house the vehicle. Both Gamache and Moyet-Ortiz are silent to attaching the frame to the vehicle.
None of these previous efforts, however, provide the benefits intended with the present invention. Additionally, prior techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art device through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, which is simple to use, with the utilization of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, assemble, test and by employing only readily available material.